Nico woke up in the middle of the night to the cat at the foot of his bed hissing like a demon.
"What the hell?" Nico mumbled shifting slightly to peak at the cat, he didn't want to move, he was still half asleep. Why did he have to be such a heavy sleeper, all the other demigods he knew woke up fully at the first sign of danger (Except the Hypnos kids of course) but not Nico. He had already registered that the cat was hissing, there was probably danger, but he was still too asleep to do more than contemplate the idea idle in the back of his mind.
"Go back to sleep." Nico jerked his elbow ramming back against the source of the voice. He heard an oof and a sharp pain sliced across his side as whatever, whoever, it was slid back. The pain woke Nico up fully, he rolled out of bed away from the person leaping to his feet while turning to see who it was with a snarl. Jeff was on his feet already lunging across the bed at Nico with a knife in hand.
Nico grabbed Jeff's extended arm and twisted the wrist harshly, he heard Jeff yelp but he didn't care. Nico was not a morning person, he hated being woken up, Hated it! Go back to sleep? Fuck that, like Nico would be able to sleep for the rest of the night now, and he was still so tired! He jerked Jeff across the bed, letting go of his arm so Jeff could crash to the floor without breaking it. Jeff was up again in a second slashing at Nico, Nico couldn't help but think Jeff was clumsy. Against an untrained mortal his moves might work, but against a trained demigod? Nico let out a chillingly dark chuckle as he easily slipped out of Jeff's reach.
"Honestly, Jeff, is that the best you can do?" Nico was not going to be nice to anyone who woke him up at an ungodly hour, like whatever time this was. He felt like he had only been asleep for minutes. "You're less of a challenge when I'm half asleep, than E.J. was when I was wide awake." Jeff snarled and attacked again, his movements were quicker now and ferocious but they were still poorly timed and ill thought out.
"Do you always attack people while they're asleep? I guess you must have to, you couldn't catch them while they were awake." Jeff spluttered furiously. Nico could feel warmth dripping down his side and knew he must be caught, but he was too full of adrenalin to notice the pain. While Nico was distracted by that realization Jeff barged in, Nico moving a moment too late and earning himself a long shallow cut on his shoulder.
"Ha, who can't catch you now!?" Jeff snarled triumphantly, seconds before the skeletal cat leapt onto him clawing at his face. Jeff gave a shriek and Masky and Hoody came rushing in. Jeff ripped the cat off of him and threw it against the wall, where it's bones scattered apart. This time it was Nico's time to yell and lunge at Jeff, but Hoody had grabbed him and pulled him back, Masky had a hold on Jeff.
Nico fell still almost immediately recognizing that the fight was over, but Jeff kept struggling until Masky got him in a chokehold. Hoody let go of Nico slowly and carefully, then went to help Masky keep hold of Jeff.
"What did Slender say about attacking Nico?!" Masky was yelling at Jeff.
"He said to wait till tomorrow, but technically it is tomorrow!" Jeff was trying to yell but the lack of air allowed through the choke hold made it come out as a wheeze. "It's one am, I gave him a whole extra hour!"
"I don't think Sir will see it the same way you do somehow, now get out!" Masky said shoving Jeff towards the door. "Go find someone else to kill while you can, because I have a feeling you're going to be grounded for a long time when we tell Slenderman about this in the morning." Jeff growled and stalked out of the room. Once he was gone Nico noticed that Jeff had managed to open the door without knocking over the stack of books he had put in front of it, he must have moved really slowly or something. Nico would have to get a bell.
"S-sorry about your c-cat." Hoody said softly to Nico as he groaned and rubbed his face.
"It's okay hang on a moment." Nico said walking over to the pile of cat bones across the room. Reaching out his hand he felt the residue of the soul in the bones mixed with the part of his own power that had strengthened it, and allowed it to manifest fully. Sighing Nico poured a bit more of the small amount of power he had managed to regain into the cats bones, watching as they quickly rearranged themselves into the cat laying on it's side. It got up quickly making a noise that was half way between an angry growl and a disgruntled mew before it began to make motions like it was cleaning itself, even though it didn't have a tongue.
